After Budapest, we drove west, down into Croatia. Running out of time, we drove through Zagreb without the chance to stop. It wouldn't have been fun anyhow, because the weather turned to rain almost out of nowhere. In fact, the rain fell so hard, literally everyone had to pull off the highway because the window wipers wouldn't do it. Being the stubborn kid that I am, I did not pull over. Instead, I crept along at less than 10 kph.

As soon as the rain came, it was gone, and we continued west.

If you like driving, Croatia is an enjoyable place. The land is very mountainous, so the highways wind around tiny cliffs, or end up plowing straight through the hillside. Makes for very enjoyable scenery.

On one side of a tunnel, the sky may be dark and cloudy, while the other will be sunny and clear.

Our first stop in Croatia was the Island of Krk (sounds like "kirk"). This is one of the few islands with bridge access (most others require a ferry).

Our hotel on the island was located in the cozy town of Punat, along the west coast (see the map again). We made it just in time for an evening swim.

I also bought a waterproof case for my camera, so I could play in the sea as well.

The water is so clear, you can easily see my goofy expression! Haha.

We made it back to the hotel and cleaned up, but there was a surprise waiting for us in the room. See if you can spot it. Everything looks normal to me, right?

OK, so this looks like a giant grasshopper, but what's up with the large stinger?! Someone email me if you know what this thing is...please.

The next day, my nerves restored, we drove to an even smaller town on the south coast, called Baska.

The weather was perfect, and the view was amazing too. In the distance are other small islands, making for a very surreal environment. We stayed for a few hours; just long enough for me to catch a wicked sunburn.

Wouldn't you know it? On the island of Krk there is also a town called Krk. Like most of these cities, there are plenty of small shops and restaurants, usually surrounded by a marina filled with boats and yachts, and cool little castle walls.

Mmmm. Calzone. Yeah, so it's not Croatian, but I love it.

Most Croatian beach houses look like this: personal vineyards surrounded by a little stone wall. The whole place feels like something between Italy and California.

Another day down, the next morning we went to Plitvice National Park, after an hour drive inland. I am saving these pictures for the next post, so stay tuned...

From Krk, we drove off the island to Plitvice National Park, about an hour inland. This park is a series of twenty lakes, all connected by waterfalls and creeks, and separated by natural dams that grow larger each year.

On a side note, Croatia was part of Yugoslavia until 1991, when it broke free from the republic. This whole chapter in history can be traced back to an incident at these lakes, where Croats and Serbs had a short but intense fight. Two people were killed in the battle, a Serb and a Croat, destroying what little remained between these two groups.

If you want more information on this incident, click here.

And now back to the post...

After parking, we walked down to the first lake and caught a ferry to the other side.

Along the way you can see dozens of small waterfalls and river entrances, connecting these lakes to form one of Croatia's largest natural preserves.

After landing, the rest of the park is a series of raised wooden walkways, twisting and turning through thick forests.

Perfect...

I love how this bridge clings to the side of a hill, as a river passes underneath.

Mmmmm...

Along the way, you can stop and enjoy all the nooks and crannies of the park...

...such as this waterfall and crystal pond.

You can also take dirt hiking trails up the hillside, to get a better view of the lakes. Plenty to see and do, out here.

A few more steps and I'm done for the day. Lookin' a bit flushed! Maybe it's sunburn... :)

We jumped back in the car, just as the sun began to sink below the horizon. It was time to head back to Krk.

Soon, we would be driving south, to the city of Split.

Stay tuned...

I am in Kuwait, and will soon be flying to Dubai. I have a last-minute business thing, and will be gone for the week. I'll try to keep updating the site with pics from my recent vacation, but only time will tell.

Cheers...

Stay tuned for more from Croatia, Germany, and Dubai...

Oh, and if you get the feeling that this article was rushed, how very observant of you!

In this picture, we're driving along the coast, looking at the many islands that surround the calm shoreline of Croatia. We left Punat, from the island of Krk, and headed south to our next destination, Split. This city is one of Croatia's largest, and certainly one of the more historic locales.

If you need the map from my vacation, click here.

Split is a strange mixture of Roman relics, cozy villas, and communist-era apartments that look something like honeycombs made of concrete. Most of these structures were built in the 70s and 80s, when Croatia was still part of Yugoslavia. This explains the feeling I got, walking around. Everyone seemed friendly enough, but it was as if the entire country just recovered from a major disaster.

This is the city center (Centar).

Walking between the shops and storefronts, we were rewarded with beautiful corridors and quiet alleyways.

Sometimes I felt like I was walking on a movie set.

The streets are lined with vendors, selling everything from homemade rum and whiskey, to soap and straw hats, along with many other souvenirs. Standing behind them, giant walls are all that remain of the Roman Empire.

One thing about Split: the city is very packed and there is no parking. I'd recommend you take a taxi or walk...or have a whole lotta patience.

One of our days in Split, we boarded a ferry and boated to the Island of Brach, to a town called Supetar. Approaching the harbor, the village looks like something out of "Pirates of the Caribbean."

You'd almost expect to see rum runners and tobacco plantations here.

OK, time for some artsy photography.

One more...

This is just the side of an old church, but I loved this courtyard. Wow, I'm starting to sound like an old guy. :)

After the cruise, we returned to Split and went for a swim near our hotel. Our next stop is a small village by the name of Trogir. I'll have pictures tomorrow.

Stay tuned...

Most of Trogir's historic sites have been destroyed from all this turnover, though many large structures remain, even today. You can traverse the city walls or visit a fortress built in the 15th century. You can also tour a 13th century cathedral, or just stop by for ice cream. We decided to all of the above...

The town sits on a small island; actually, it is so small that this bridge is the only hurdle.

Most of the ships that dock in Trogir these days belong to wealthy travelers and tourists.

The narrow streets are just wide enough to walk, and are filled with small restaurants and gift shops.

Hidin' out in the back alleys. Oh, what a tough guy I am!

Later, we found plenty of nice little restaurants, had some ice cream, then decided it was time to drive back to Split.

On the way back, we drove through many small neighborhoods along the coast. If you wanted to know what a normal Croatian house looks like, this is it. I could definitely picture myself throwing a party, or just having a cook out in the backyard.

When we returned to Split, I saw those buildings again - the ones I mentioned in the last post. They really do look like concrete honeycombs. OK, so YOU tell me what you think they look like!

Since this website is my personal journal and not some tourist brochure, I can include some of the less glamorous memories from my adventures. For example, look at this park in downtown Split. It looks like it used to be a park, but maybe it was recently firebombed, or an unknown volcano broke through and reformed the playground. Hey, Croatia is beautiful - just not this park.

That concludes my vacation. Oh wait...I still have to fly to Germany, spend a day in Heidelberg, then fly to Dubai!

So give me another day or two, and I'll be back with the rest of the trip.

Do Videnja!

As if my trip to Romania, Hungary, and Croatia wasn't enough, I had a one-day layover in Germany.

The original plan was to fly to Germany, meet with Richard and Ayse (friends from Kuwait), hang out for a day, then fly down to Dubai as a group. That didn't exactly work out, so as an alternative plan, I was introduced to a friend of theirs, Anna. She lives in Heidelberg, and offered to give me a tour. So, after meeting me in Frankfurt, we drove back to her town and Anna showed me around.

Here are the pics...

So ya know, Heidelberg is a city in southern Germany, located on the Neckar River.

Another snazzy fact I learned is the name Heidelberg actually came from Heidelbeerenberg - Huckleberry Mountain.

One of Heidelberg's most famous attractions is the castle, Heidelberger Schloss. It sits on a hill, overlooking the small town.

Originally a fort, the castle has been around since the 1500s. The castle is now mostly in ruin, though a major restoration project is underway.

Here is another angle...

Inside the castle sits a large wine barrel, known as the Tun, or Groß Fass. Back in the day, the townspeople had to pay taxes to their lord. If they couldn't pay, they would sometimes substitute using goods, such as wine. The various "payments" would be stored in this large barrel, making for a truly unique drinking experience. YUCK. Imagine what it would taste like, filled with hundreds of different wines!!

Interesting but gross, eh?

After the tour, we stepped out for a walk around the castle grounds.

From this vantage you can see the castle and the town along the river. You can even see sheep in the grass field below.

A few hours later, Anna and I walked down into the old square. Despite being summer, the weather was cold and wet...a welcome change for someone who lives mostly in the desert these days!

One of Europe's greatest stereotypes is its small cobblestone streets. I love it.

We ended up in the city square, just in time for me to say goodbye and head back to Frankfurt Airport. After all, I had a plane to catch!

I want to thank Anna for being such a cool tourguide, especially on short notice. I know I came out of nowhere. :)

My next and final stop on this crazy journey was Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. I met up with Richard there, and partied for two days before ending my trip in Kuwait.

I will post pictures shortly. Until then...Auf Wiedersehen!

These pictures are from my trip to Dubai two months ago. I have been busy lately and am starting to burn out up here, but I need to finish what I started. So here we are...

After my trip to the Balkans, I had a one-day stop in Germany, then flew down to Dubai to meet up with my co-worker and good friend, Richard. As I said in the last post, his wife Ayse was also supposed to meet us, but she couldn't get a visa in time (Americans can enter without much trouble, but she isn't American). Stupid how rules work.

This is the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, located next to the Burj Al Arab. I stayed here for two days, and enjoyed every minute of it.

Pretty nice, eh? Certainly better than what I've had in the past!

Dubai is one of seven Emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, a small but wealthy country in the Gulf. Each Emirate has it's own Sheikh, or leader, and they govern everything in their land. For example, Dubai allows drinking in private places such as hotels, while Sharjah (another Emirate) does not allow drinking at all.

Rich and I only had two days, so we made our plans and knew what the first stop would be. We jumped on the shuttle and headed for the Mall of the Emirates, known for the first indoor ski resort in the Middle East.

The mall, with its massive ski resort looming overhead.

That's me, looking cool as ever in my snazzy gear. Being that nobody normally thinks to bring winter clothing to the desert, the resort offers temporary jackets and pants, so long as you don't mind looking like you came from the '80s.

Inside, it looks like some bizarre wonderland. I was taken aback by how cold it was in there. Freaking engineers really know how to build crazy stuff, don't they?

Yeeeaaah....I still got it. :)

Two nerds, standing in the last place on earth you'd expect snow.

After a few hours of good cold fun, we headed back to the Jumeirah Hotel.

Next to the Jumeirah and the Burj Al Arab is Wild Wadi, a large outdoor waterpark with everything you could imagine. In the distance you can see our hotel.

We tried all sorts of goofy things, like this wave machine...

...even took a cruise in the tubes.

That night we checked out this Lebanese nightclub. I'm really starting to dig this style of music. Cool beat.

The next day we ate breakfast at a restaurant on the top of our hotel, and this was our view. Very nice.

With only a few hours to spare, we checked out the Grand Souk, a large bazaar, styled in the old world.

It was almost time to return to Kuwait, so we drove to the airport.

Rich, being his usual self at Dubai International. hahaha. Sorry, bud. I had to post this picture. :)

From Kuwait, I then flew to Baghdad, and have since actually had to fly back down again to the UAE. This time, I went to Sharjah for a business conference.

Also in the time since I've been back to Iraq, I've noticed the security situation has deteriorated even further. Wow, this place is getting bad.

In other news: We have had some heavy winds in Baghdad; one storm took out three palm trees near our villa. I've got some pictures to post, and will get to that in a few days.

Cheers.

The temperature has dropped significantly out here, to about 55 F (12 C). I know, that isn't exactly freezing, but we're all used to 125 F (52 C) or more!

I say this all the time, but I really haven't had much opportunity to update my site. There is simply too much going on out here, both with my work and the environment around me. On top of that, I'm starting to get that "burned out" feeling one might expect after working out here for almost three years. I think it's time for a change...whatever change that may be. I'm hoping to return to San Diego again, but only time will tell.

In the meantime, I'm going on another vacation. hehe. That's always a sure way to feel better.

I will depart Baghdad sometime over the next few days, head to Kuwait for a few more, then fly to the States. It will be the first Thanksgiving with my family in three years ... and I am looking forward to it.

As promised from an earlier post, here are some pictures taken after one of our recent storms.

My co-worker, Alan, checking out the mess. Wind came in almost from nowhere, snapping the trunks of three palm trees in our parking lot.

One of the palms managed to squash the bed of this pickup truck.

All that remain are solitary poles...

Unrelated, here's a picture I'd like to share. It isn't the best picture I've taken, but it easily sums up the Green Zone: Watchtowers, spotlights, sharp razor wire, concrete walls, and palm trees...all built upon layers of asphalt.

Take care - I will write again in a few weeks...

Soon enough, I will be back in the sandbox. I'll update once I've settled...as always.

Cheers.

I returned to Bagdhad last month, after my vacation in the states, but I haven't found the time or motivation to update the website. Despite getting some sort of illness in Florida, and going to the dentist five times, I had a great time. Hey, I've got a new set of chompers so it was all worth it. :)

The DAN CAM, yet again. Waiting in a transient tent at Balad Air Base. The temperature reached freezing on New Years; water bottles literally turned to ice outside. It - was - cold.

Next morning, I jumped in a Sherpa and flew to Kuwait, grounded for an hour, then arrived at my destination, Tallil, in South/Central Iraq.

I'm here for a few days; and after that, I'll head down to Basrah.

And after all that, it's back to Baghdad. I'll try to be better with the next update.

Cheers.

Picking up where I left off last post...

Just outside of Tallil Air Base is a small archeological site, where you will find what remains of the ancient city of Ur. Over 4000 years ago, Southern Iraq was known as Sumer, the oldest civilization in history, and Ur was one of the first and largest cities at that time.

The city (along with the civilization) is long gone, and all that remains is this ziggurat. These structures are very similar to pyramids, though their purposes varied. This one was a temple of worship, dedicated to the Sumerian Moon God, Nanna.

I spent an afternoon hiking around, just trying to get a feel for what Ur might have looked like. Obviously, you have to ignore the massive Air Base in the distance. In the middle of this picture, you can see the Royal Tombs, an uncovered Sumerian burial site. In the foreground is a pile of bricks that have come loose from the ziggurat.

Some of these bricks are marked with strange symbols, most likely cuneiform. Don't worry, I left everything alone. My grandfather always taught me to "take nothing but pictures."

This is a map of the site, if you couldn't tell. :)

The steps to the ziggurat are a bit worn, and the top stones have probably been replaced regularly over the millenia.

A bedouin lives near the ziggurat, and watches the grounds. He said his father, grandfather, and so-on, have watched over this special land for many many years, though I couldn't understand much more than that. This is his horse, grazing not too far from the ruins. He also runs a small souvenir shop, where I bought a map.

This is one last photo of the structure.

The next day, I drove with a Security Escort Team (SET) down to Basrah, a large city in the very south of Iraq. Basrah is said to be one of the possible locations of the Garden of Eden, though nobody has ever been able to pin it down to a real spot. I didn't have enough time to find out for myself, so maybe next time...

Back to the drive, once again, I found myself on MSR Tampa.

The land is very flat and dry down here, unlike the more fertile valleys near Hilla and Baghdad. Sorry, but the picture says it all.

Another thing that sucks about these roads are the little piles of sand everywhere. Normally that wouldn't bother me except - in Iraq - these piles are good places to hide little bombs called IEDs.

I will never look at dirt the same way again.

So, no big deal, and no harm done, I made it to Basrah Air Station, home of the Multinational Division - Southeast (MND-SE) HQ. Iraq is split up into Areas of Responsibility (AORs), and the Southeast AOR is controlled by the British Defence Forces (yes, they spell differently).

The base looked more or less the same as every other facility I've been to: concrete barriers, razor wire strewn across the tops of buildings, and oh yeah, dirt. Only real difference is of course the British troops I see everywhere.

Enough of that. I took care of my work, listened to a few mortars land in the distance, and left the next day for Tallil.

On the way back up, I saw some more camels. Hahah. These things are awesome.

Back in Tallil, I waited for my flight to Baghdad. Mid-afternoon fog crept in as I snapped this photo of the flightline. I'll say this again and again: pictures of the flightline are normally not allowed, but I asked for permission. Mmm'kay?

To see a satellite image of the ziggurat on Google, click here.
For more information on Ur, click here.
For more information on Sumer, click here.
For more information of ziggurats, click here.

As you can imagine, I am now back in Baghdad (for the umpteenth time). I've got a few pictures from a recent trip across town, so I'll post them in a few days.

Until then...

Another angle of the one that detonated. It's not uncommon for us to receive incoming...we live in the Green Zone after all, and it's part of the deal.

Unrelated to these rocket pics (and somewhat ironic), it's time for me to come home. I had a great experience, and don't regret any of it. I'm also glad I didn't go out with a bang (pun intended).

Actually, I needed to get out of Iraq because I was starting to burn out. It wasn't the danger that got to me, or the job, or the people I worked with. It was the routine: day after day, living in the same small room, taking the same short walk to work, eating the same breakfast/lunch/dinner, same everything...you get the idea. It gets old after three years.

Enough complaining. So what now? What's my exit strategy?

That's easy: I'm already gone.

I left Baghdad, flew to Kuwait, spent a week there with friends, and am now in Romania, hanging out and relaxing. In March, I will return to the States, where I will spend a few weeks with my family and friends, probably make a snowboarding trip up to Mammoth, and spend some time pretty much doing nothing. After that, I'll see how I feel, and what's the next step.

In typical fashion, it wasn't fun getting out of Iraq. The night I left the Green Zone, another rocket hit our living area, but this one didn't detonate. Yes, that's a good thing, but it also meant everyone (myself included) had to wait inside while EOD (the bomb squad) came out to destroy the unexploded round. I was freaking out in usual form, because this delay was making me late and I could possibly miss my ride across town. But things worked out, and I made it to the airport in time.

Ironically, I flew out of Kuwait on Groundhog Day. Anyone who's seen the Bill Murray movie and worked in Iraq will appreciate the humor.

So...

Is this it? Certainly not. This isn't the end of DAN IN THE DESERT; just the end of a very long chapter. When I get home I would like to post some older photos I never had the chance to, so keep stopping in. I will keep the site up, and I'll keep posting, and maybe I'll even create a new journal if time allows.

It's been fun. Until then...

Cheers,

Dan

I will post pictures shortly along with a few cool ones from Iraq that never made it up here (I'm getting lazier and lazier these days, but I'll try and do something about that soon).

In the meantime, you can re-live some of my older adventures by checking out the Archives (on the left-hand side of this page). It starts back in 2004, when I first signed up for this crazy gig, and catalogues different events during my travels in Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan, along wth various vacations in-between (mostly to Eastern Europe), and ends up - well - with the very post you are reading right now.

Whenever I figure out what's next, I'll be sure and let you know.

Until then...

Dan

I don't post like I used to. I promised I would keep doing this, but I never said how frequently! Anyhow. Here's the latest...

I am back in Kuwait. I finished my work in Iraq, and have started my own business with some colleagues. This is a new territory for me, but I am excited and eager to see where it takes me. So far, it has taken me right back to the Middle East, but I expect I will get to travel to even farther lands (China, India, Taiwan).

Adding to the fun, my brand new state-of-the-art laptop died the night I got here. That's a bummer. All my new photos from Romania, as well as pics from my recent trip to San Diego and Las Vegas, are temporarily gone. I know I can get them back, but in the meantime, I needed to keep working, so I bought another new laptop.

And once I get back into a rythym, I'll start posting pictures again. I've already found some cool places in Kuwait that I never knew about.

In the meantime, take a stroll down memory lane, in the Archives...

Cheers!